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Butters Scotch said he was “bi-curious” and sent away to a pray-the-gay-away gay camp in an attempt to correct his “confusion” in a episode of “South Park.” The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday upheld a California ban on e-gay conversion therapy for minors. (Photo courtesy of Comedy Central.)

WASHINGTON – A California law banning a controversial and wacko therapy aimed at converting gay and lesbian minors to heterosexual finally will be implemented.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a challenge to the law, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed in 2012 and prohibits therapists from performing sexual-orientation change counseling with children and teens under age 18.

Spitzer, who turns 80 next week and is considered by some to be the father of modern psychiatry, published a paper in 2001 concluding gay people who sought reparative or “conversion therapy” were cured of homosexuality.

Spitzer’s conclusion was so shocking because in 1973 he helped the American Psychiatric Association abolish labeling homosexuality as a “disorder.”

In the 2001 study – which numerous colleagues said was flawed and morally wrong – Spitzer asked former “conversion therapy” patients during telephone interviews about their sexual urges, feelings and behaviors after the therapy. He compared the scores on his questionnaire before and after therapy. (Really? Yes. This method doesn’t sound very scientific to us either. Ed. – Out in the 562)

“The majority of participants gave reports of change from a predominantly or exclusively homosexual orientation before therapy to a predominantly or exclusively heterosexual orientation in the past year,” Spitzer concluded.

SACRAMENTO – A first-of-its-kind ban on a controversial form of psychotherapy aimed at making gay people straight is speeding through the California statehouse.

Supporters say the legislation, which passed its final Senate committee Tuesday, is necessary because such treatments are ineffective and harmful (and ridiculous – Out in the 562).

“This therapy can be dangerous,” said the bill’s author Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Redondo Beach), who added the treatments can “cause extreme depression and guilt” that sometimes leads to suicide.

The bill, SB 1172, would prohibit so-called reparative therapy for minors and obligate adults to sign a release form that states that the counseling is ineffectual and possibly dangerous.

Conversion therapy penetrated the national consciousness last year when former Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann was questioned over whether her husband’s Christian counseling business provided services that attempted to change gays and lesbians. Bachmann avoided answering the questions.

(The loopy and absurd technique also became infamous after the 2007 “South Park” episode “Cartman Sucks.” Butters Stotch’s parents thought he was “bi-curious” and sent to him a pray-the-gay-away camp, where several youth committed suicide after being told they were sexually confused.)

Exodus International, the world’s largest Christian referral network dealing with homosexuality, steers people to 260 groups across the country, up from about 100 a decade ago. The organization has 35 ministries and churches scattered around California, from the Central Valley to the U.S.-Mexico border, organizers said.

Mainstream mental health organizations say people should not be seeking out such ministries.

The American Psychological Association said in 2009 that mental health professionals shouldn’t tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy.

(Butters Stotch was sent to a pray-the-gay-away camp on a 2007 episode of “South Park.”)